Flashlight



@et 20, 1942. l.. l.. JOHNSON FLASHLIGHT Filed Aug 2, 1941 Patented Oct.20, 1942 UNITED 5134x1135 PATENT OFFICE FLASHLIGHT Lawrence L. Johnson,Chicago, lIll. e Application August 2', 1941, serial No. 405,141

(ci. 24o-10.6)

Claims.

This invention -relates to improvements in Another object of thisinvention is to provide such a variable beam flashlight which isespecially adapted for use in womens handbags, valises, briefcases, andthe like; and which comprises means for readily and detachably mountingit therein, in such a manner that the light beam may .be directed downinto the bag and likewise up into the users face.

These and various other objects and advantages are' attained with thisinvention, as will be apparent from ythe following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing wherein the invention is shownin its preferred form, it .beingevident that other forms of constructionand modifications may be adopted in carrying out the `objects andpurposes of this invention.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a flashlight embodying myinvention in its preferred form of construction-comprising three tubularunits operatively l connected.

Fig. 2 is a view thereof showing the three units separated, two of saidunits being turned 90 relative to the third unit.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken longitudinally thru the flashlight.

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views thereof, taken, respectively, onlines 4-4 and 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an end view of one of the outer units, taken along line 6 6 ofFig. 2 and on a slightly enlarged scale.

As illustrated in the drawing, this improved flashlight comprises threemain units which are tubular and are firmly but detachably connected.These units consist of a central unit I0, and two end units and II which'are similar and are connected to the two opposite ends of said centralunit.

Each one of these two end units comprises an insulating barrel I2-containing a battery I3 therein, and having its open end |4 reduced andturned inward to fit snugly in the end of the central unit I0. A metalcontact strip I5 extends longitudinally along the battery and has itsouter end part I6 bent over and bearing against the outward terminal ofthe. battery, and 'l its inner end part I1 is bentover and is pressedinto a notch provided in the outer side of said reduced end I4 of thebarrel to be flush with the surface of said end.

The central'unit I0 comprises an outer metal sleeve or cylindricalcasing 20 which has its two ends snugly seated upon the reduced ends I4of the two barrels I2, and said sleeve makes con? tact with the innerend parts I1 of the two contact strips I 5; said sleeve being lrmly andsafely.

held by a tight fit upon said two ends I4, but also being readilyattachable thereto and detachable therefrom.

lA cup-shaped socket 2| of insulating material is mounted movably in thesleeve 20, preferably by the use of a ring 22 which surrounds the socketand fits snugly in the sleeve but is turnable therein with said socket.

A lamp bulb 24 is carried .by the 'socket 2|, having its stem 25positioned therein, and it is preferably provided with a reflector 26,said reflector preferably including anV integral collar 21 which has thelamp stem 25 threaded thereinand is detachably threaded in said socket,for convenient removal therefrom with the lamp bulb. Said stem 25andcollar 21 together with a surrounding insulating annular part 28 on thesocket 2| are-movable in a slot 29 provided in the metal sleeve 20, fromthe on position as shown in full lines in Fig. 5 to the off position asshown in dotted lines therein.

Two contact members or arms 30 and 3| are extended thru the oppositewall parts of the socket 2|; whereof the arm 30 has an inner contactpart 32 which contacts the collar 21 and therethru establishes contactwith the threaded surface terminal of the lamp stem 25, and also has anouter contact part 33 which makes contact with the second terminal ofone of the batteries. The other arm 3| has its inner end or contact part34 in engagement with the central or end terminal 35 of the lamp stem,and has its outerv end part doubled or bent over at a slant to provide aresilient contact finger 36, which is positioned off-center or offsetfrom the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 20 and the barrel I2. Aninsulating member 31, preferably in the form of a disk, is mounted inthe sleeve 20, ad-

jacent the socket 2l and its ring 22; and thru said member extends acontact arm 33 including an outer bent part or contact part 39 whichengages the second terminal of the second one of said batteries, andalso includes an inner bent part 40 vhaving an arcuate finger 4I thereonwhich is positioned off-center or offset from said longitudinal axis ofthe sleeve and barrel, arranged to be engageable by the offset finger 36on the socket when that is turned in the sleeve.

vIn Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing the full line positions of the partsindicate how the contact finger 36 is placed in contact with the arcuatefinger 4| when the socket with the lamp therein is turned to theoperative or circuit-closed position in the sleeve; and there isindicated in dotted lines how the contact flnger 36, as shown in Fig. 4,is separated from finger 4I when the for receiving said boss, areprovided for firmlyv and more securely holding the socket and its lampin the inoperative or circuit-open position.

This flashlight is furthermore provided withmounting means so that itcan be conveniently but detachably mounted in a handbag, a valise,

firmly but detachably mounted therein and engages said two inner endmeans of the two contact strips, an insulating socket turnable in thesleeve and carrying a lamp bulb, a pair of contact arms extending thruthe socket and being in engagement with the two terminals of the bulb,one of said arms contacting the inward terminal of one of the batteriesand the other arm having an ofi-center finger positioned outward of saidsocket, and an insulating memberin the metal sleeve provided with acontact element which engages the inward terminal of the other \of thebatteries and includes an off-center contact finger adapted to engagethe other finger, whereby the two contact fingers may be brought inengagement to illuminate the lamp by turning the socket in the sleeve. f

3. The subject matter set forth in claim 2, wherein the socket isprovided with a surrounding ring wherebyit is mounted in the sleeve tofacilitate turning therein, and one of the contact fingers has anextended arcuate contact part to enable turning the socket and lamp thruan extended arc without breaking the circuit.

4. A tubular flashlight consisting of three sub- ,.'stantially tubularunits composed oi a central and the like, and this means preferablycom-fr prises a pin 44 having one end secured to one of thebarrels, asat 45, and being engageable in a hook 46 provided on the other-barrel,-said pin being bent inwardly at its center to provide a firm hold on thematerial of the device to which the flashlight is attached.

It maybe noted that the two batteries with the lamp therebetween arearranged in series; and also that this 'construction provides an economical and very useful flashlight.

I claim:

1. A- tubular flashlightl comprising, a central unit and two end unitsconnected tothe opposite ends thereof, the two end units each comprisingan insulating barrel containing therein a battery and a contactmember-engaging one terminal of the battery and having a part extendingto the outer part of the barrel, the central unit comprising an outermetal sleeve which re ceives the end portions of the barrelsV andengages the two outwardly extending contact parts, an insulating socketmounted turnably in said sleeve and carrying a lamp bulb, apair ofcontact members carried by the socket and being one of the last saidcontact members engaging ger positioned outward of the socket, andinsulating means in the sleeve carrying contact means engaging thesecond terminal of the other of the batteries and including a contactfinger adapted to engage the first said finger, whereby said two contactfingers m-ay be brought into engagement to complete the circuit thru thetwo batteries and the lamp when the socket is turned in the sleeve.

2. A tubular flashlight comprising three main units, a central unit andtwo end units detachably connected to its opposite ends, the two endunits each comprising an insulating barrel conin engagement each with aterminal of the bulb, 60" Y the second terminal of one of the batteriesand the other of said members having a contact finunit and two end unitsconnected to the opposite ends thereof, the two end units eachcomprising an insulating barrel having a reduced end portion andcontaining a battery and a contact strip which engages with its outerend portion the outward terminal of the battery and has its inner endportion extending to the surface of said reduced portion of the barrel,the central unit comprising a metal sleeve which' receives said tworeduced portions and engages the two inner end portions of the twocontact strips, an

insulating socket mounted with a surrounding ring turnable in thesleeve, a. lamp bulb carried in the socket and movable in a slotprovided in the sleeve, a pair of contact-arms extending thru theopposite wall parts of the socket and being in engagement with the twoterminals of the bulb, one of said arms contacting the inward terminalof one of the batteries and the other arm having a contact fingeroutward of the socket, and an insulating disk in the metal sleevebetween' the socket and the other of the batteries and having a contactelement extending therethru with its outward part engaging the batteryand at its inward part having a contact finger adapted to engage thefinger on the socket, whereby the two contact fingers may be broughtvinto engagement to complete the circuit thru the` two batteries andlamp by turning the socket 1n thesleeve.

5. The subject matter set forth in claim 4,

' wherein thev vlamp is provided with a reflector which has an integralmetal sleeve threaded' in the socket and has the stem of the lamp bulbthreaded therein.

6. The subject matter set forth in claim 4,

tachably mounting the flashlight in a handbag andthe like, and whereinsaid contact fingers are -oiset from the longitudinal axis of thebarrels and one thereof has an extended arcuate contact portion toenable turning the lamp thru an extended arc in the sleeve Withoutbreaking the circuit.

8. A flashlight comprising a central unit and two end units connected tothe opposite ends thereof, each end unit comprising an insulating membercontaining a battery and a'contact element engaging one terminal of thebattery and having a part extending beyond said member, the central unitcomprising an outer connecting member which receives and holds thejuxtaposed end parts of said two members and also provides an 'electricconnection between said extending parts of the contact elements,insulating means mounted'turnably in said connecting member and carryinga lamp bulb, a pair of contact means carried by said insulating meansand being in engagement each with a terminal of said bulb, one ofsaidvcontact means engaging the second terminal of one battery and theother contact means having a contact linger extending beyond saidinsulating means, and other insulating means mounted in said connectingmember and being provided with contact means engaging the secondterminal of the 'other battery and having a part adapted to be engagedwith said contact nger, whereby to close the circuit thru the lamp bulband the pair of batteries upon turning said bulb withl its insulatedcarrying means in saidr connecting member.

9. A flashlight comprising a plurality of battery units and a lamp unitconnected thereto and retaining them in position, each battery unitcomprising an insulating member containing a battery therein and alsoContact means engaging one terminal of the battery and having meansextending beyond said insulating member, the lamp unit comprising aconnecting member which is detachably connected with the insulatingmembers and is arranged to provide an electric connection between thesaid extending means, a lamp bulb and means turnably supporting it insaid connecting member, a plurality of contacts carried by saidsupporting means and being in engagement each with a terminal of thebulb, one of said contacts engaging a terminal of one battery andanother of said contacts including a contact element extending beyondsaid supporting means, and means engaging a terminal of another batteryand being engageable by said contact element, whereby to open andto-close the circuit thru the batteries and the bulb by turning thelatter in its unit.

10. A flashlight comprising lamp carrying means and battery carryingmeans connected thereto for convenient detachment, the latter meanscomprising outer insulating means having battery means mounted thereinto be readily removable therefrom and being provided with electricconductor means extending from the rst terminal means of said batterymeans outward beyond the insulating means, the lamp carrying meanscomprising a tubular member capable of conducting electricity and whichdetachably engages and retains said outer insulating means and alsoforms an electric connection with said ccnductor means, movableinsulating means carryng a lamp bulb therein and being therewith' t saidinsulating means and bulb, for opening and closing the circuit thru thebattery means and the bulb by rotating the latter in the tubular member.

' LAWRENCE L. JOHNSON.

